Cal State Fullerton is No. 53 out of 300 public and private colleges and universities on the 2019 list of Forbes’ “America’s Best Value Colleges.”
The university moved up 15 spots from No. 68 in 2018. Among public institutions in the list, CSUF ranks no. 28.
CSUF is one of 17 California State University campuses included in the magazine’s annual ranking of the nation’s schools with the highest quality and best financial outcomes. Using data from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard and PayScale, Forbes evaluated 300 U.S. colleges and universities based on net price, alumni earnings, academic quality, graduation rates and the number of Pell Grant recipients.
Last year, Forbes revised its methodology to focus on a school’s societal contribution, putting greater emphasis on affordability and economic benefits, which contribute to better rates of upward mobility.
This is the latest ranking supporting CSUF’s reputation as a national university offering top value. Last year, quality of education, affordability and outcomes earned Cal State Fullerton a spot among the top 12 percent of universities in Money magazine’s “Best Colleges for Your Money 2018.” Washington Monthly ranked CSUF in the top third of national universities and No. 6 in net price in the “2018 College Guide & Rankings.”